Sweden’s Dani Holmqvist wins first Symetra Tour title

HARRIS, Mich. (AP) — Sweden’s Dani Holmqvist won the Island Resort Championship on Sunday at Sweetgrass for her first Symetra Tour title.

The former University of California player made a 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 2-under 70 and a one-stroke victory over Canada’s Samantha Richdale.

“I saw the leaderboard and I knew that I had to make it in order to not go to a playoff,” Holmqvist said. “I’ve been actually practicing those kinds of putts back in my home course in Jupiter. I end every practice by saying, ‘If I make this putt I’ll win the tournament.’ Ironically, that’s what happened.”

Holmqvist finished at 10-under 206 and earned $18,750 to jump from 38th to 13th on the money list with $27,272. The final top 10 will earn 2016 LPGA Tour cards.

“It still hasn’t quite sunk in but it’s very exciting,” Holmqvist said.

After dropping strokes on Nos. 6 and 7, Holmqvist birdies Nos. 9, 11 and 12 and closed with six straight pars. She opened with rounds of 67 and 69.

Richdale birdied the final hole for a 68. She played the back nine in 5-under 31.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson was third at 8 under, making an eagle on the par-4 14th in a 67. The 17-year-old Henderson won the tour’s Four Winds Invitational last week in South Bend, Indiana.

She made $8,374, her first official earnings on the tour after being granted an age waiver following her victory.

“It was fun,” Henderson said. “There was some good holes and some bad holes, but overall I was hitting the ball well. I missed a couple of putts the past two days but I made up for it a little bit today.”